Round #14 - this one took a long count, but Sly, Celeste & Harry Fought to bring it to you, all the same!

Hey folks, Harry here... We've been late before with the Stallone Questions - usually it is my fault. Me leaving the keyboard to go out with my fiancee and enjoy the company of those hitting Austin for my annual BUTT-NUMB-A-THON celebration. However - last night was a completely different matter. I stayed at my post till 3am. The "Answers" never came. This morning at 8:30am, I get a call from Sly's fantastic assistant Celeste. She asks, "Did you get the answers? I sent them last night at 1:30am." -- I told her I didn't. You see - I went to sleep with my Cel Phone - knowing that Celeste or Sly would be calling when the Answers were sent my way, so I climb out of my stupor - with the cel phone - Celeste saying something about how she received an error message in sending me the email, which she didn't discover til this morning. SO I had her send it again, this time I got it. So basically - a Hotel Firewall, firewalled us - and now we have the answers. That said - you should know that Sly and Celeste were answering your questions til 1:30am last night - and technology got in the way. On behalf of Sly, Celeste, the anonymous Hotel firewall and myself - I apologize for the lateness of this set.... but here it is... Wait till you read about the fight.... I want video of that fight.

First of all, I’d like to apologize…we’re late because we had a very very successful LA premiere last night. Bruce and Arnold showed up, likewise the cast of HEROES and many other celebrities. It was incredibly gratifying. Then, early in the morning I had to hop on a plane, which threw the whole Q&A process off.

1. Mr. Stallone,
I read your newsweek article today and i agree that it is hard to find people like steve Mcqueen and now a lot of guys are kinda prissy. Me and my brothers definitley arent so if you want to cast us in your movie just give us a call we can skip a few classes if you need us to, but my question to you is how far did you run in the first rocky my little brother says you ran 22 miles from your house to the stairs is that true?
thanks for your time and thanks for making great movies
Mike Glasner

Perhaps in the movie, that was proper distance from Kensington AKA Fishtown, to the stairs. It would be approximately that far. Considering I have a hard time running 22 feet without getting distracted, it’s a safe bet to say I didn’t rack up all that mileage.

2. Hi Sly,
In Chuck Zito''s autobiography Street Justice, he talks about how tight you guys are, and even alludes that Rambo's look in part II(the red head band) may have been you're tribute to him.He also mentions ,that during that time he was doing bodygaurd work for you, there were a lot of knuckleheads coming up to you trying to take cheapshots and getting their 15 minutes of fame by being the guy "that beat up Rocky". I was wondering if was there ever an incident that happened where you actually mixed it up with any of those jerks.If not, what was you're usual response to 'em?Also, do u still keep in touch with Chuck?
Thanks , and all the best to you.
Alan C.
NYC

Actually, there was an incident that required a great physical display of force. Unfortunately, I was foolish enough to be sucked into the fight.
Several years back, an individual ran into the back of my car at a stoplight. I got out of the car and said “What are you high?” He said, “Fuck you.” I said “I could’ve had my kids in the car.” He said, “Fuck you and fuck your kids,” whereupon I proceeded to beat him like a dusty Navaho rug, from the middle of Sunset Blvd, through a restaurant called The Source, through the kitchen. Finally, I let him go in the parking lot near a dumpster.
Several hours later, I was arrested and taken to the hospital where this cretin, who was larger than me, was pressing charges. Two of his teeth were knocked out and his palate in the front was split. He claimed he came to California to do toothpaste commercials and his career was ruined. Trust me, this was a man who’d never seen the business end of a toothbrush in his sloth-like existence. He gave fungus a bad name.
Anyway, I lost the judgment for $375 thousand. Several years later, I was in New York doing a scene in NIGHTHAWKS and a fellow came up behind me and said, “Remember me?” I didn’t, but I did recall he had whiter teeth than a newly constructed Steinway. He said “C’mon, hit me again asshole, I could use the money.” Then I remembered who he was. This is where bodyguards came in handy, not to protect me, but to protect him. They pulled me out and the rest goes down in toothpaste commercial history.

3. Hey Sly
Got a question for ya man.
On the back cover of the film "Relfections of Evil" it has a quote that says you want drive ball-peen hammer into the filmmakers head. Now from what i heard is that the filmmaker keeps sending you copys of this film and your son sage keeps sneaking them into your film collection. Is this true?
Thanks and take care
Jason Eisener

I think the filmmaker is exaggerating and I’d much rather elaborate on a story that contains more reader interest.

4. Mr. Stallone,
There were many times that I was seated underneath your cryo-cell at the Dallas Planet Hollywood & looked up to see you as a semi-naked skydiver plummeting earthward in a plastic hockey puck. Are you still a partner in the Planet Hollywood chain? And have you thought of opening up a restaurant of your own, maybe on a smaller scale, based on “Rocky”?
Mark D. Noack
Garland, TX

Planet Hollywood is very much alive and well in Las Vegas. The company, which consists of myself and Bruce along with a plethora of financial partners, has purchased the Aladdin Hotel, which is being “face-lifted” for $150 million and reopened as Planet Hollywood. I think all of you will love the concept the hotel is projecting, which is one that’s completely immersed in the long tradition of filmmaking and pop art, pop culture and popping bottles of fine Champagne.

5. Sly,
Long time fan. I’ve noticed that you are truly a connoisseur of fine wristwatches. From the Tag Heuer wristwatch you wore in “Cobra” to the sweet Panerai that you wore in “Daylight.” I even understand that you’d given Arnold Schwarzenegger a Panerai as a gift that he subsequently wore in “Eraser.”
In watching “The Contender” last year, I noticed that you always had a sweet timepiece on your wrist. What would you consider your favorite wristwatch? What wristwatches do you wear on a regular basis?
Michael

Well, I’m very flattered to wear a Panerai that’s named after me called “The Sly Tech,” even though it resembles a bathroom scale because of it’s prehistoric proportions. It reminds me of how the original Panerai was discovered. When I was doing DAYLIGHT, which by the way was the most toxically enhanced film I’ve ever done. By that I mean, the Italians, who were the special effects people, would light actual car tires and would burn molten rubber to create smoke in the tunnels, which made us resemble overworked Welsh coalminers in a matter of minutes. Sometimes the haze was so thick I couldn’t even see my watch, so I went looking for one and there I found this obscure watch called Panerai, which was designed for underwater demolition teams stationed in the murky waters of Naples Bay. If you have never seen Naples bay and it’s renowned clarity, you can do a legitimate reenactment by plunging your face into a bowl of molten fudge and you’ll get the idea. So when Arnold saw the Panerai he liked it and it caught on. Before you knew it, the company grew from a $1.3 million mediocre watch company to one valued at over $400 million and purchased by Cartier.

6. Hi Sly,
Having worked with Peter Boyle in F.I.S.T. do you have any words you'd like to say about your co-star after his recent passing?
Ciaobello.
Simon
(seppukudkurosawa)
Brighton, England.

I liked Peter a lot. He was very campy around the set and sometimes I couldn’t keep a straight face during the one scene in F.I.S.T. where he kept mispronouncing “Bolsheviks,” which came out the first few times sounding suspiciously like “ bull shit with dicks.” Good guy…would’ve been a great Popeye Doyle.

7. Hi Harry-
This is by far one of the coolest things I've ever seen on the web. Thanks, Sly- for doing this for your fans!!
What did you think of Eddie Murphy's routine from "Eddie Murphy Raw" where he jokes about short Italians getting "muscles" after seeing Rocky? My friend and I (who are both short Italians) always joke about it...
Thanks again!!
Rob Toscano
Fairport, NY

I didn’t recall the routine that much. I think I was overwhelmed by the red leather outfit, or something like that. But, I know Eddie for a long time and I’ve always had an open line of communication with him. Actually, when I was suppose to play BEVERLY HILLS COP I knew me doing gay jokes and moving like an intimidating mud slide through Beverly Hills would not deliver the comic torque Paramount was looking for, so when I suggested Eddie Murphy, it was one of my better moments. Of course, now everyone lays claim to discovering talent.

8. Hi Sly!
Being a Frank Frazetta fan, I seem to remember you owning one or two of his canvases. One I think is "Leopard Woman" (?). I was wondering if you commissioned it and if there's any anecdotes of interest regarding the artist?
Craig
Vancouver

Hmm, no I never owned any Frazettas, but I was taken by his, I don’t know what you’d call it, “java chick eroticism.” Ya know, “prehistoric pants pulsation.” I don’t know, but his paintings were definitely highly inflammatory in an erotic and neurotic sense. I wanted him to paint a poster for PARADISE ALLEY, which now in retrospect sounds like perhaps one of the top five dumbest ideas since we crawled from sulfuric ooze. What the hell did three Italian brothers in NY in 1946 have to do with naked nubiles chained to pillars or fleeing for their lives from Viking giants? Go figure.

9. Dear Mr. Stallone,
I watched the "Ali Rap" special on ESPN the other day and saw that you were a
participant. How did you meet Muhammad Ali? What are some of your favorite
Ali-isms?
Also, it seems like the Apollo Creed character is loosely based on Ali. Can
you elaborate on that? Also, what other real life boxers influenced characters
in the Rocky movies?
Thanks!
Tommy
Los Angeles, CA

The first time I met Ali I was a complete unknown and I went up for an autograph and I thought at the time that he was at a banquet with a buttered roll perched in his right hand, so the autograph had to wait. But he seemed like a nice guy. But we really hit it off when he made an appearance on the Oscars in 1977. Claiming “ I’m the real Apollo Creed.”

10.
I got a question for Mr. Stallone. If you could fight one person alive or dead who would it be?
SRL

It would have to be some cancerous lesion on the surface of humanity such as Hitler, Stalin, or some other assorted mass murderers or perhaps just a sadistic individual who has caused incredible grief to a number of families a la a serial killer. THAT I could certainly justify enjoying. But as an athlete, I would’ve liked to have sparred with Rocky Marciano, and even though I would’ve received a fair helping of brain damage, the ironic twist of it all would be worth a few cherished brain cells.

...considering Sly's doing press junkets for his film, attending openings and continuing to create buzz for Rocky that he STILL takes the time to read and respond to these questions - and none of his answers are cheap or stale. Harry - I believe Sly should be the NEW face of AICN. I'll be there on the 20th!

...in London in 1993. It had been pissing down with rain for 9 hours and I was stuck in it for 5 of those just to get a glimpse of Sly, Bruce and Arnie. I yelled out when they were doing their photo-pose so I could get Bruce looking at me (to their left). All the newspapers the next day had this pick of the 3 guys holding their arms in the air, and Bruce was the only one not looking at the camera. He was facing left looking at my camera! Wicked picture, I'll have to put it online one of these days.

If you're reading this Sly, thanks so much, this is awesome. I admit, I wasn't crazy about you during your Brigitte Nielson period, I don't blame you for being attracted to her, she was crazy hot back then. But I guess her terrible personality came through, and I lumped you in with her. Boy was I wrong, you're pure class, and I think the twenty mil you had to pay her to go away was money well spent, even if you had to do stuff like Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot to make up the money. I was one that liked Rocky V, and I'm really looking forward to Rocky Balboa, I hope it's a runaway hit for you.

The other night I was flipping around the channels and saw a scene from Rocky Balboa. So I stopped to watch. The clip was done and it went to Sly being interviewed. I then noticed the channel was a Christian network, TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network).
The interview was about the spiritual aspect of the Rocky movies. Sly or someone involved with Rocky even has a website setup for resources to use for churches and other outreach programs.
http://www.rockyresources.com/
I guess I never thought of Rocky and/or Sly in this light or in these terms. Interesting.

...is always "your mom". BTW, I heard that Sly didn't want to take off the helmet in Dredd, but either his agent or the studio insisted upon it. We may never know. They should just start the franchise from scratch.

I keep meaning to ask - what Jerry Goldsmith movie is the trailer music to "Judge Dredd" from? I want to say I've heard that piece of music re-used in several action movie trailers. At a certain point in time (the 90's), I think the only song that got put to more trailers was "More Human Than Human" by White Zombie!

I think Sly should follow up Rocky Balboa with a Woody Allen movie. I say this because I watched Bananas the other day and there he is, intimidating poor Woody on the subway. This could be another chance for him to turn in a low-key performance à la Copland (which I think is terrific). Also Woody has probably directed more Oscar-winning performances than anyone else, so I reckon a Sly-Woody collaboration is an Academy Award waiting to happen. Chances are Scarlett Johansson would be in it, too.

I refuse anything associated with that franchise after that series of crap. Stupid controls....<BR><BR>
And how am I supposed top be first when these things are posted in the morning? I am a night owl. All these roosters cocka-doodle-doodling....I am still ASLEEP!

I just bought (somewhat inspired by reading this series) the Collector's Edition of ROCKY on DVD for 20 bucks at Best Buy and was very pleased to find that it comes with a free movie ticket for ROCKY BALBOA!

...is not have Sly do low-key cameos in other movies, but have Sly as Rocky in Adrian's restaurant, and use THAT as a location for other movies. Imagine a middle-aged couple discussing their mid-life crises over dinner there, and Rock-o just happens to stroll up and ask if, "Yo, uh...hiya doin'...just wonderin' if yer findin' everything to your, ya know, edibility?"

Thanks for the info, guys. I can't believe a piece of music that amazing, inspiring, and blood-pumping was created solely for a trailer! Goldsmith was the best. I can clearly remember that music being used for the "Lost in Space" trailer too. I want to say that there were a few others too.

and not the one where I proposed a Celebrity Deathmatch between him and Flava Flav...although I'm willing to bet Red Sonja would wipe the floor with 'em both. <p>
</p>Naw, thanks for the little anecdote Sly! Bull shit with dicks...heh heh.

I will be there on opening night and I am taking my daughter with me. She's cool. She actually wants to watch it. It's fucking surreal! Rocky the original has been my favorite film of all time since I was a kid and now my own kid is going with me for this one. Like father like daughter!...sniff, sniff, I am so proud!

I can relate. I hate assholes....especially ones that don't talk sense behind the wheel. But then again, a huge sloth driving all the way to LA to make it in TOOTHPASTE commercials of all things (who are the commercials targeting....other sloths?) can't be too mentally stable to begin with.<BR><BR>
And what assholery to go up to Stallone again to tease him, years later. How in the world did he get to walk up to Sly on the set of Nighthawks to begin with, though? Sly has so many fans that would love to meet him to say nice things....how did asshole pull it?

Think about the fight. Think about the fight. His name is Clubber Lang, and he wants to hurt you! It's true. Mr. T terrorized opponents cinematically in '82. Tyson, with the same disposition/attitude and fighting style, did it in the late 80s, early 90s.

Tyson was a monster in the ring. Clubber was loud and obnoxious and swung hard punches like a mo'fo. Tyson was soft spoken, quiet even, but when the bell rang he'd dance all over you, defend all your moves, then knock your head off. If Tyson (in his prime) for in the ring with fictional Clubber, Tyson would completely destroy him. Tyson has defense.

I remember seeing the trailers and commercials for the movie back in '95 and getting all psyched after hearing Jerry Goldsmith's wonderful music. Then I get to the theater and not only did I get a crappy movie, I got Alan Silvestri's bland score to go with it. Fool that I was, I even bought the soundtrack CD, hoping the great trailer music might be there. No such luck, thought. Man, I wish somebody had a rule stating that trailers could only play the music that will be in the movie. Of course that's impossible--and Goldsmith's score was supposed to be in the movie. Still, that bait and switch got me so pissed that I never trusted trailer music after that.

sorry guys. the subject of my post was not the balboa clip but a video i made for school.
but the balboa clip IS at the bottom of the post.
I really don't like Rambo III, but Rambo II is one of the best action movies out there, and first blood is a classic!

Short and funny story. Peter Boyle was in FIST with Stallone. Also during this time - 1977 Boyle was one of the few friends that John Lennon had during his house-husband years. Anyway, i heard that Lennon and Boyle were extremely close. SO close in fact. Lennon - i have heard - actually visited the FIST set in '77 in Iowa with Yoko and Sean - wonder if Sly met John Lennon - cause Lennon was a big Rocky fan. He mentions Rocky and the movie in one of his home-recordings and in his diary. Also- Lennon was inspired to write the song "I'm Losing you" after watching Adrian's coma/Illness in ROcky II.
If he had lived- Lennon would have written a song for Rocky III not Eye of the tiger but probably something for training montage or Mickey's funeral. anyway - something like "Across the Universe". Oh, Lennon could have writte a sweet song for Rambo I. I hear one of the songs in the original mix was "Imagine" and "Crippled Inside" from Lennon's 1971 LP. Brilliant
A great moment in world history would have been a John Lennon-Paul McCartney reunion at Sly's house while watching Rocky II in 1979. Maybe - they could have written a song to capture Rocky's mood when he won that belt.
Sly is a big Bee Gees and Beatles fan. Lennon influenced Rocky I a lot. I think the sardonic and sarcastic character Buddy in ROcky I was a Lennon inspired character.
Buddy : "I hear she's retarded"
Buddy: "Take her to the Zoo,,, I hear retards like the zoo".
Those was pure Lennon lines right out of Hard Days Night - '64.
Gatzo: "Some people they just hate for no reason"...
Paul McCartney i am sure has met Stallone - curious - if Sly had met both Beatles
- I think Rocky Balboa and magic of Stallone's personality is one of the immoveable forces of nature that could have brokered a Beatle reunion. Picture Stallone standing in the doorway...Nobody' leaving until Paul and John set things right"...The other mortal being who could have brokered a Beatle reunion was Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

Oh, that's so true. Stallone created TYson way before he existed. Clubber Lang was symbolic of the hunger we all need to have, the passion and the desire to do the best before all the trappings of fame and luxury make us weak and fat and lazy. 25 years later and rocky III is still a classic and Stallone is still the man. I don't care about Grosses and all that. I just want to see all the critics worship at the greatness of this film and how it still works 30 years on